Tortilla-molding machine.



S. ESGAMILLA.

TORTILLA MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 10, 1906.

1,036,593. Patented Aug. 27 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES: gc INVENTOR. W 22% y wu we" 0.. BY

ATTORNEYS.

S. ESOAMILLA.

TORTILLA MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 10, 1906.

3 SHEETSSHBET 2.

1,036,598. I Patented Aug. 27,1912.

WITNESSES: v efwm QQQMAQ INVENTOR. fly 2% .4 MM BY w-W ATTORNEY?COLUMBIA FLANOGRAPH c0 WASHINGTON, D. c.

S. ESCAMILLA.

TORTILLA MOLDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MT. 10, 1906.

1,036,593; Patented Aug. 27, 1912.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

A TTORNE YA COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH c0-. WASHINGTON, D c.

SIMON ESCAMILLA, OF CIUDAD VICTORIA, MEXICO, ASSIGNOR TO SAR-GENT & COM-PANY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11 27, 1912.

Application filed October 10, 1906. Serial No. 338,272.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it lmown that I, SIMON ESCAMILLA, citizen of the Republic of Mexico,and residing in the city of Ciudad Victoria, in the State of Tamaulipas,in the Republic of Mexico, have invented new and useful Improvements inTortilla-Holding Machines, for which I have obtained Letters Patent ofthe Republic of Mexico, numbered 5,503 and 5,525, dated the 24th and28th days of April, 1906, respectively, and of which the following is afull, clear, and exact description when taken connection with theaccompanying drawings.

This invention relates to machines for molding tortillas, or similarcakes of meal and other cereals, and has for its object the productionof an apparatus for forcing the material directly from the grindingmachine into a mold, together with means for withdrawing the tortilla,or other cake, when molded in the form and of the thickness desired. Tothis end, a receptacle is attached to the grinding machine, into whichprojects the end of a flat hollow disk, the remainder of which is heldbetween plates, which with the hollow disk form a mold, so that themeal, or other material, as it is ground is forced into this mold whereit conforms to the interior lines of the mold. By the withdrawal of thedisk, the meal is brought forth in the desired shape and thickness of atortilla, or other cake.

The invention consists of the above features, and the several otherimprove ments and combinations of parts set forth and claimedhereinafter.

Referring to the drawings for a more particular description, Figure 1represents a side elevation of a grinding machine, to which is attacheda tortilla molding machine embodying the invention. Fig. 2, a top viewof the molding machine, Fig. 3, a similar view, with the top plateremoved, Fig. 4:, a central horizontal section, Fig. 5, a longitudinalvertical central section, Fig. 6, a similar view, with the top plate andhollow disk removed, Fig. 7, a detail plan view of the hollow disk byitself, Fig. 8, a perspective view of the top plate, and Fig. 9, a rearview of the receptacle of the molding machine by itself.

In all figures, similar letters of reference represent like parts.

The parts designated by the letter A represent a grinding machine orfood chopper of any desired form, and B the screw threaded end of theforcing screw (not shown) of the grinding machine. To the flanged outerend C of the grinding machine A is secured by bolts D and nuts E amolding machine, which consists primarily of a receptacle F of anydesired form, within which is adapted to rotate a feed screw G screwedon to the outer end B of the forcing screw of the grinding machine, sothat the rotation of the forcing screw will rotate the feed screw H tofeed the material from the grinding machine toward the front end of thereceptacle F. In the forward end of the receptacle F is a narrow slot oropening I, and beyond the forward end of the receptacle F is a plate Kherein formed integral with the receptacle F and supported thereby by abracket L. The plate K forms the bottom of the mold for the tortilla,and it is provided, as shown more particularly in Fig. 6, with sides Jhaving grooves M, within which grooves'slide the lateral edges of anupper plate N. The upper plate N is provided with handles 0, so that itmay be drawn in and out .of the bottom plate K.

P designates a v.disk, having a substantially circular opening Q, theinner surface of which forms the side walls of the mold for thetortilla. The disk P is provided with a handle R, and the sides areflattened, as shown more particularly at S (Fig. 7), so that the diskmay slide within the side walls J of the bottom plate K. As shown moreparticularly in Figs. i and 5, when the disk I is inserted on the bottomplate K, the extreme end projects through the opening I into theinterior of the receptacle F and between the extreme end of the disk Pand the opening 0 is a slight space T through which the meal may beforced into the opening I and into the interior Q of the disk. \Vhen thedisk is in place between the upper plate N and lower plate K, theseplates form the top and bottom of the mold, and the inner surfaces ofthe interior opening Q of the disk form the sides of the mold into whichthe meal is forced by the feed screw H, through the opening I of thereceptac e F. When the meal has been forced into this space, it willconform to the interior form of the disk P and will be of a thicknessequal to the distance between the two plates N and K, which, as shown inFig. 5, is substantially the thickness of the disk P. Upon thewithdrawal of the disk P by the handle R, the meal in the interiorthereof will be drawn'out of the molding machine in the desired form,and may be dropped upon; a platter, pan, or other article as desired.

The operation of molding. the tortilla may be repeated as often asdesired by inserting the disk P between the upper and lower plates intothe position shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and. feeding of the meal into itsinterior by the feed; screw Vilhen desired the up per plate N may bewithdrawn by the handles 0..

Having now described my invention, what end of said. casing andcommunicating with said. casing, and flat tortilla-molding memberscarried by said receptacle; substantially as described.

3. The combination with afood' chopper having .a casing open at the rearend, of a. receptacle secured to the rear end of. said casing, flat moldmembers carried by said receptacle and having a space between them incommunication with said receptacle, and a flat mold member movablebetween said first named members; substantially as described.

4. The combination. with a food chopper having a casing open at the rearend, of a receptacle applied to the rear end of said casing and incommunication therewith, fiat tortilla-molding members carried by saidreceptacle, and means for forcing the material from the easing into saidreceptacle; substantially as described.

5. The combination with a food chopper, of a molding device comprising areceptacle attached to the casing of said chopper, mold plates extendingfrom said receptacle and having a space between them in communicat1onwith the latter, and a mold member slidable between said plates;substantially as described.

6. In a machine such as described, the combination of a receptacle, anda molding device carried thereby and comprising members with opposingsurfaces defining a space open at both ends, one end being incommunication with said receptacle, and a hollow mold member slidable insaid space and of such length that when the cavity thereof is locatedpartially within said receptacle, the opposite end of said memberprojects out of the other end of the aforesaid space; substantially asdescribed.

7. In a machine for molding tortillas and similar articles, thecombination with a receptacle, of a fixed molding device having a spacebetween the same open at both ends, a

' hollow mold member fitting within said device and removablelongitudinally thereof out of one end of said device, and grip meanscarried by said member to withdraw the same, the other end of themolding device extending into the receptacle; substan tiallyasdescribed. 7 I

8. In a machine for molding tortillas and similar articles, thecombination with a receptacle, of a molding device having a 1ongitudinalopening therein communicating at its inner end with the receptacle, anda removable hollow mold member communicating at one end with thereceptacle and having a handle at its other end projecting through. theopening in the outer end of the device; substantially as: described.

9. In a machine for molding tortillas, or similar articles, thecombination with a reeeptacle having a narrow opening; of two plateshaving a space between them acces sible through said opening; and a diskhaving a hollow interior adapted to slide bet veen said plates andproject through said opening; and means for forcing meal, or similarsubstances, through said opening; substantially as described. 7

10. In a machine for molding tortillas, or similar articles, thecombination with a receptacle; of a feed screw mounted to rotatetherein; two plates secured thereto leaving a narrow space between; adisk movable longitudinally in said space adapted to project into saidreceptacle sufficiently whereby access may be obtained from saidreceptacle to the hollow interior of the disk from above or below saiddisk; substantially as described.

11. In a machine for molding tortillas, or similar articles, thecombination with a receptacle; of a feed screw mounted torotate therein;a plate having ways therein; a second plate slidable in said ways; andahollow disk adapted tobe slidably mounted between said plates;substantially as described.

12. In a machine for molding tortillas, or similar articles, thecombination with a frame having a hollow interior and two parallelsurfaces extending therefrom; a hollow disk adapted to slidelongitudinally between said surfaces and project into saidinterior; andmeans for forcing meal or other substances from said interior into saiddisk; substantially as described. 7

13. In a machine for molding tortillas, or similar articles, thecombination with grinding mechanism,-of a device for molding thetortilla; and means for forcing the 1,036,593 nism into said space,mounted to turn on an axis directed lengthwise of said grindingmechanism; substantially as described.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set 15 my hand on the 28th day ofSeptember,

meal or similar substances from said grinding mechanism to said moldingdevice, mounted to turn on an axis directed lengthwise of said grindingmechanism; substantially as described.

14. In a machine for molding tortillas, 1906. the combination withgrinding mechanism of a support carrying mold members witli SIMONESGAMILLA' opposing flat surfaces defining a space be- Witnesses:

AURELIO CoLLAno,

tween them, and mechanism for forcing MARIANO GONRALEZ.

meal or the like from said grinding mecha- Gopies of this patent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,Washington, D. G.

